St. Dominic Church

CONTACT INFO

History

The presence of Spanish Dominican friars in
Florida stretches back to the mid 1500s; several
friars from Spain eagerly responded to Bishop Coleman
Carroll’s invitation to serve the then newly-established
Miami Archdiocese. From its inception in 1962, Spanish
friars staffed Saint Dominic parish where Mass was first
celebrated at the Henry M. Flagler school auditorium, at
the Fairlawn Elementary School, and at a nearby Ukrainian
church. Parishioners also formed religious education
classes. The former National Children’s Cardiac Home a
building slated for demolition was purchased and
renovated into a rectory, religious education classrooms
and a worship space, and dedicated in 1963.

The parish continued to grow, and parishioner already
active in service outreach ministries embraced changes
ushered in by Vatican II and became active in liturgical
ministries. Parishioners launched a capital campaign in
1979 to build a larger church, which was completed and
dedicated in 1981.

Dominican friars from the newly formed Southern
Dominican Province of the United States took over
responsibility for the parish from the Spanish Dominicans
in 1980. Their commitment to the parish remains strong.